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- R. W. GREEN.

TELEGRAPH KEY. No. 455,320. Patented July '7, 1891.

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' R. W. GREEN. TELEGRAPH KEY No. 455,320. Patented July 7, 1891.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OEFrcE.

ROBERT V. GREEN, OF ST. THOMAS, CANADA.

TELEGRAPH-KEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 455,320, dated July 7, 1891.

Application filed February 10, 1890. Serial No. 339,947. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT V. GREEN, a citizen of Canada, residing at St. Thomas, in the county of Elgin and Province of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph-Keys; and I do declare the following to be-a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will' enable others skilled in the art to which it view of the key lever and knob, showing the means for locking the sliding contact-strip; and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the under side of the key-lever, showing a part of the sliding strip and also the spring for actuating the same. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my improved device.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates the ordinary wooden base, and B the metal frame mounted thereon.

The switch-levers and binding-posts, together with the adjusting-screws, are of the ordinary construction.

0 indicates the key-lever, which is mounted in the ordinary manner and is capable of the usual adjustments. The handle end of this key-lever is provided with a transverse aperture a, in which is journaled a rod or strip. This strip, as shown in Fig. 3, has an eye I) or other suitable means for attachment with the lower end of a rod D, and the other end of this rod E, as willbe seen in Figs. 2 and 5, terminates in an angular branch con the opposite side of the key-lever, and its free end is designed to engage the beveled end of a sliding contact-strip, as will be presently ex- 'plained.

F indicates a spring, which is here shown as a flat spring; This spring is secured at one end to the key-lever, and its opposite or free end bears upwardly against one of the branches of the 'rod E, and consequently against the lower end of the rod D, so as to hold the latter normally raised. The knob G of the key-lever isprovided in its face with a radial slot d, through which a shifting-lever H passes. This shifting-lever H is provided 55.-

I is a vertically-arranged arm or strip secured at its lower end to the post K in such a position as to allow the key-lever to vibrate without obstruction, and this arm or strip is designed,'through the medium of the sliding strip on the key-lever, to close the circuit when said strip has been allowed to move forward.

L indicates the sliding contact-strip. This strip is provided with elongated slots, as shown at i, and is held loosely against one side of the key-lever by means of headed studs or screws n passing through said slot-s, as shown. On the under side of the key-lever is a spring M, which is designed to advance the sliding strip or bar L. This spring, which may be a coil or flat spring, has one end setcured to the key-lever and its opposite end secured to the contact-strip, as shown. The rod D, which connects with the latch or stoprod E, is provided at its upper end with a suitable head, and said rod passes through an oblique slot or hole in the knob of the keylever.

From the construction described it will be seen that when the operator places his hand 0 upon the knob G and against the cross-head 6, so as to push the latter forward, as shown in dotted lines, the rod D is at the same time depressed. This movement will cause the branch 0 of the latch-rod E to free itselffrom the beveled end of the slide-bar L, when said bar will besimultaneously drawn backward by the lever H, and, separating said slide from the strip or post I, will open the circuit. As soon as the operator removes his hand from theknob G the spring M will come into action, so as to push forward the sliding strip L to contact with the vertical strip or post "I, and as this strip moves in such direction the lever 1-1 will be thrown backward, as shown in full lines on Figs. 2 and 5.

It Will be observed that I employ a spring M, having one end attached to the key-lever and its opposite end attached to the contactstrip for the purpose of keeping said strip normally against the post I, and that I employ a spring F, having one end attached to the key-lever and its opposite end bearing against the'rod E for a similarpurpose. It is obvious, however, that both of these springs are .not necessary on the same device, and when the spring F is used the spring M may be omitted, although both may be used together Without any serious disadvantage.

My'improvernents are durable and cheap, 'an'dthey'm'aybe applied to keys such as at present in use at a-minimurn expense. No care is required to close the circuit, as such operation is automatic,- and the objectionable: use of separate devices to open the circuit-is dispensedwith.

Having described my invention, What I claim is- 1. The combination, with a'key-lever and a contact-arm, such as I, of a sliding contactstrip of said lever, backed by a spring, a latchlever for holding said strip in an advanced po' sition, a rod connected with the latch-lever andpassing through the key-knob, and a lever for withdrawing the sliding contact-strip, said lever being movable in a slot in the keyknob' and carrying a cross-head above said knob, substantially as specified.

2. A key having a spring-backed sliding contact-strip, a latch to hold saidstrip in an advancedlposition, and a lever for withdrawing the strip, said lever also being adapted to co-operate with the latch-lever, so as to 0perate' the latter, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the-key-lever having itsknob slottedyas described, an'd'a' contact-arn1,-such asl', of the-slide-strip'L,spring M, latch E, rod D, lever ILhaving cross-head e, and toe g, substantially asspecified.

ROBERT \V. GREEN.

Witnesses:

D. LONG, GHAs. E. MINOR. 

